


Playing Together

by actualtimelady



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: Still Have Powers, F/F, Modern Era, Modern Thedas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-14
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-26 07:40:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4995994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/actualtimelady/pseuds/actualtimelady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marian Hawke has been checking her 3DS like clockwork every 12 hours for the last few months. When Isabella finds out the whys, she sets up a rendezvous with the mysterious Merrill --maybe then Hawke will get out more.</p><p>Written for the following prompt: Apartment AU: "We both have 3DS’s and Street pass each other every day and have conversation using the personal message feature (and sometimes we play games together)". Pairing: Merrill/Hawke</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A meeting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ceranna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ceranna/gifts).



“So, Hawke?”

“Hmm?” Hawke had barely looked up from her 3DS to acknowledge her roommate, Isabella’s, question. There had to be another tag by now, right?

“Why is it whenever you get home from _anywhere_ , you are always jumping right on that thing?” A raised eyebrow, and Marian Hawke sank lower into her seat.

_Ack. Caught._ “No real reason. I just play. With friends sometimes. They do that now” _Too defensive, too defensive, too defensive!_  “Besides, you’re on your phone all the time, what’s the difference?”

Yes, misdirection was much better. Or, rather, _would_ have been, had she not been sharing living space with the Queen of misdirection. Or a certified thief. The 3DS was out of her hands and in the air before Hawke could put up even half a protest.

“This thing has a chat feature?” _Maker_ that girl moves quick. “Who are you chatting with?”

“No one! And it doesn’t, it’s just street pass. Someone who lives in the complex named Merrill. Can I have it back? I need to reply.” _Almost_ –nope. How does she move like that? She said she was a dancer, but those moves are something else.

“No one? Interesting, considering you’re trying so hard to get this back. The truth, now, or I send back a rude message in reply” Damn it, damn it, _damn it_.

“Look, it’s really not a big deal,” An arched eyebrow was the reply, in that way Isabella tended to do –just one, straight up, impossibly high in a way Hawke herself was never able to replicate. _Stupid eyebrow._ “Really, not that big of a deal. She’s an adult –at least I think. She talks about work.” a pause. “And we play games together. And we talk over street pass. But really, Isabella, it’s nothing. I have a friend. I like talking to her. Can I _please_ have it back now?”

“Fine. Weirdo.” A toss and it was in Hawke’s hands again. Success.

* * *

 

Talking to Merrill had started out slowly. A few months back, Hawke had begun getting the same person tagging her twice a day on street pass –a mystery. It didn’t take long to figure that it had been a neighbor, and a couple of days in, a simple message came instead of the usual “Oh, Hello!” that usually came with the elf-eared Mii. “I’m Merrill, you are?” was the simple phrase that had begun it all.

It was the slowest friendship she had ever formed, but also the most exciting. Two messages a day, that was all the system allowed for. Messages were thought out meticulously, every letter planned for responses had been done so carefully, and she had learned both so much and so little. Merrill liked the color green and claimed to be from a local clan, but traveling separate so she could take care of something (a message that took three days to become clear). She also loved coffee, animals, and had hope for the future.

And Isabella was going to ruin it all.

Had she thought that there was even a remote chance that Isabella was going to let things drop at that? Maker, she knew her friend better than that. Still, it was a shock to find her 3DS open with the message “Sure thing” on it next to the coffee pot one morning. Under it, a note

> _"Asked her to coffee tomorrow, you’re welcome -I”_

Ohhh, Isabella was so dead when Hawke got her hands on her. So dead.

“Morning!" Speaking of... "Hope you don’t mind I have been stealing your toy a couple of times a day to answer your street passes,” That sly grin. Ugh. Hawke had just assumed a couple of days without Merrill being home. She had gone to visit with her Clan before, after all. “Better pick out an outfit for your date tomorrow!”

“No dates! I don’t know this girl. I don’t even know if she _is_ a girl. We’re friends. That’s all. I don’t want to date some random person I met on my 3DS for Andraste’s sake!” Ruined friendship, all because Isabella had decided it was a good time to play matchmaker.

“Then go be friends. I made no romantic overatures on your behalf. Be friends like normal people. Have someone besides me and the brood squad to hang out with!”.

“Varric doesn’t brood, and neither does –Varric doesn’t brood”

“My point, my large and very anti-social friend, is that you have things in common with someone. Meet them. Make friends. Decide whether or not to ever meetup with them again later, but take a small chance. It’s just a coffee –it can be as long or as short as you like. If you want, I can even be your excuse, and just a ways down to come to your rescue.”

Which is how, just a day later, Hawke ended up dressed nicely and sitting in the coffee place down the road.

“Sorry but…” a light voice interrupted Hawke’s anxious stirring of her coffee. Looking up, she found herself face to almost-face with a young Dalish woman holding a green 3DS with a Yoshi charm hanging off the side. “Would you happen to be Hawke?”

“Yes! Yes. I am. You’re Merrill?” A reassuring smile should do it. “Have a seat, I don’t bite.”

A warm, bright smile shone back at her “Lovely, thank you! I was so worried about meeting like this. I don’t really have many friends. And I started talking to you because you were there, and you responded. And now I can’t stop babbling. I’m sorry, it’s just what I do when I’m nervous, you see,” a small, anxious laugh and a blush as she sets down her things and goes to order, and Hawke is frozen: This was a disaster. This couldn’t be happening. Maker help her, she wouldn’t be able to survive this.

_Merrill was cute_.


	2. No Crushing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marian Hawke does not have a crush and Anders has a proposal.

Marian Hawke did not --could not --have a crush on her adorably cute elf neighbor. The fact that everyone else felt the need to tease her about the subject when said elf was around was purely coincidence. The fact that they spent a lot of time together was also purely coincidence.

The day at the coffee shop had gone well, if that wasn’t entirely obvious. There were a few stumbles in the beginning, while neither was sure what was an appropriate topic, but slowly, ever so slowly, the two had become comfortable talking around each other. Merrill was a history buff, and was studying in Kirkwall to be an Archaeologist. “My people… We have a past, you see. A past we died for. I would give anything to help recover the past that we lost,” a genuine smile and a faint blush brought a wide smile to Hawke’s face as the elf continued, staring at her tea. “I know it’s not the most glamorous thing to be excited for, but there are ruins that have hardly been touched and I would love to see them.”

“Is that why you’re apart from your clan? I thought most Dalish stayed around other Dalish,” Hawke asked, praying the question wasn’t offensive in some way. She’d known of one or two Dalish clans when she lived in Lothering, but she’d never actually met anyone Dalish.

“For the most part, yes. The Keeper would rather I stayed back --I am… or, well, was. I was to be the Keeper when she passed. But we don’t always…” Merrill went quiet for a moment, the happy expression that had colored her so vividly just a moment ago gone completely.

“We don’t have to talk about it,” Hawke offered into the silence, and a small bit of the smile she worked for before had returned.

“Thank you."

* * *

 

Crushing or not, Merrill did have to pass the friend test. It probably could have waited if Isabella didn’t run her mouth so often, but her friend’s enthusiastic glee at the idea of Hawke having found a new good friend through her handheld was infectious, and soon the others were making demands. Varric had even threatened to track her down at the University --after all, how many Dalish archaeology majors could there possibly be at such a small place? A few, surely, but not enough to keep him from finding her.

And so, with some coaxing, they all had a party at Marian and Isabella’s place.

Party _might_ have been a strong word. Cheap ale and Cards Against Thedas as a get-to-know you was much more chill than she was expecting out of her enthusiastic roommate, but she expected Aveline’s staying hand in that one. The last one that Isabella had planned involved some public nudity and… Well, yeah, probably not the best introduction into Hawke’s social circle for someone like Merrill.

The result? Much better than expected. While Fenris was disinterested on principle (the usual issues, there, but Hawke had hope that he may come around to all the mages in their merry little band in time) the others seemed to fare better with her. Isabella and Varric seemed to especially like teasing her during the game, and seemed proud whenever she made a dirty joke with her cards --however unintentionally.

Of course, there was plenty of teasing aimed at Hawke herself -- most of which (thank the Maker) seemed to go over Merrill’s head. Or… Well, most of them anyway. Was it the ale that had added a faint tint to the elf’s cheeks by the end of the night, or was she beginning to catch on. Andraste help her, she _really_ hoped it was the ale.

“I think Daisy will be a nice addition to our little crew, personally,” Varric said later, when there were only a couple of them left.

“I don’t know, there was something… _off_ about her. The way her magic felt, but I can’t…” Anders trailed off. “...Why Daisy?”

“Were you even paying attention tonight? Maker, she was like this cute little thing anyone could crush under their boot! So small and needing to be protected from the big bad people in this world.”

“Varric, she is taller than you,” Hawke laughed jovially. Tonight had gone fantastic. She was absolutely giddy at the reception Merrill had received among them, and couldn’t believe just a month ago she was _determined_ that her relationship with the mysterious gaming friend that she had made through her 3DS never be any more than a waving Mii with happy greetings and a big smile.

“I have enough personality for a man twice my size at least. Or presence. Or both, whatever suits you. All I am saying is that girl is going to be someone’s light some day. Light…” a wicked grin passed over Varric’s face. “Hey Hawke? Since you’re so determinedly _not_ feeling it for our new elf friend, why don’t you see about setting her up with your sister? Call be crazy, but last I heard a little Sunshine is supposed to be good for Daisies.”

“You can’t be-- We don’t even know if Merrill-- They don’t even know each other!” Hawke sputtered out, the laughter gone from her face.

“Oh, but they could. Bethany was sitting right close to our new mage friend. They may have just been comparing techniques, but it seemed like they were a little buddy-buddy to me. What do you think, Rivaini?”

“Mmmmfff!” This from the couch, face down in a pillow.

“Maker’s balls, how much did you drink?”

Isabella responded with quite the rude gesture as Hawke explained “Isabella heard that we were only having the ale tonight and decided she should pre-game it. For four hours.”

“Yikes.”

“Yikes is right. And anyway, even if they were buddy-buddy, which they weren’t, who’s to even say that they would go well together? I mean, other than being mages they have next to nothing in common--”

“As opposed to you and Merrill--” Varric interjected.

“-- _Exactly_. And Bethany is so focused on not getting caught as an apostate--”

“While you’re doing jobs working to get the family out of Lowtown and spending time with cute dalish mages--”

“--Yes! And Bethany has always preferred redheads her whole life, ever since she was little--

“-- Unlike you, who likes to crush on quiet nerdy Dalish mage girls?”

“-- _Yes_! She wouldn’t even--” Hawke sputtered to a stop as she realized what she had just said. “I-- I mean --I just meant that --”

“ _Finally_ she admits it!” Varric laughed and clapped his much larger friend on the shoulder.

“Maker’s breath, would you not tease me like that?” Hawke groaned, placing her head in her hands. By the temperature difference, she could guess that her face was likely one of the deeper reds she had ever managed to make it.

“Look, if you like her that much, invite her on the trip you’re working so hard to fund” Anders said. “I may be helping you, but if I never have to see the damned deep roads again in my life, that will be just fine with me. You wanted a couple of mages? There’s your second mage. And she could use the money, I’m sure. I have it bad, but I am not living in a three bedroom apartment with seven other people.”

“Okay. Okay, yeah. I’ll ask her.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Since I decided I'm going to get serious about fic writing again, I am in desperate need of beta readers who are in the fandom. If you're interested, please message me!


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